1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fuel containers. More specifically, the invention relates to fuel containers for motor vehicles, such as snowmobiles.
2. Background of the Invention
Canadian Patent Application No. 2,256,944 (the xe2x80x9c""944 applicationxe2x80x9d) discloses a new improved recreational vehicle adapted for use as a snowmobile or an all-terrain vehicle. The vehicle disclosed therein is convertible from a snowmobile to an all-terrain vehicle and vice versa, and thus, can be used all year around both in winter and summer. The ""944 application teaches, among other features, that the vehicle disclosed therein provides improved maneuverability and control than a conventional snowmobile, as the rider""s seat position is moved forwardly and the engine is moved rearwardly by comparison with the a conventional snowmobile.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/472,134 (the xe2x80x9c""134 applicationxe2x80x9d) discloses a snowmobile where, among other features, the steering control position, the seating position, and the position of the footrests are arranged in relation to one another so that the rider""s center of gravity is closer to the center of gravity of the vehicle than on a conventional snowmobile. Moreover, the snowmobile disclosed in the ""134 application improves the rider""s control over the vehicle and positions the rider so that he falls more naturally within a laminar air flow region defined by the windshield of the snowmobile. The ""134 application discusses, inter alia, the advantages of providing improved positioning of the rider on the new snowmobile disclosed therein.
Further, U.S. provisional application 60/315,689 (the xe2x80x9c""689 applicationxe2x80x9d) of the assignee of this application discloses yet another novel vehicle, which is a three-wheel vehicle, incorporating advantageous features of the vehicles disclosed in the ""944 and ""134 applications. The three-wheel vehicle disclosed in the ""689 application is constructed in such a way that it also locates the engine closer to the center of gravity of the vehicle and moves the driver""s position on the vehicle forward and closer to the center of gravity of the vehicle
By positioning the driver closer to the engine and ground, vehicles can have a generally low center of gravity. A lower center of gravity helps to stabilize the vehicle when travelling at the high speeds or when travelling through bumpy terrain or over bumpy surfaces.
Conventional fuel tanks for a snowmobile, such as ones shown in FIG. 1, are not suitable for use in vehicles having the driver positioned more forwardly and the engine position more rearwardly than the convention snowmobile, as disclosed in the ""944, ""134 and ""689 applications.
For example, FIG. 1 shows two conventional fuel tanks for use in snowmobiles, which are designated with reference numerals 10 and 10xe2x80x2, provided on a snowmobile tunnel body 20. As illustrated, the fuel tanks 10, 10xe2x80x2 include substantially round main body portions 12, 12xe2x80x2, which house the fuel. The fuel tanks 10, 10xe2x80x2 also have upwardly facing filler neck openings 14, 14xe2x80x2 formed in the upper portions of the main body portions 12, 12xe2x80x2, which allow fuel to be poured therethrough. The center of gravity of the fuel tanks illustrated in FIG. 1 are located approximately at the center of the main body portions 12, 12xe2x80x2. The centers of gravity of the two fuel tanks are designated in FIG. 1 as reference numerals 16, 16xe2x80x2.
As illustrated in FIG. 9, if one were to adopt the vehicle configurations described in the ""944 and ""134 applications and the above-mentioned co-pending application, the forward positioning of the driver 10 reduces the space that would otherwise be occupied by the fuel tank 10. When the conventional fuel tank 10 is placed as shown in FIG. 9, it interferes with the placement of the driver""s seat in the same space.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fuel tank suitable for use in a recreational vehicle which is designed to take advantage of a positioning the driver that is closer to the engine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fuel tank suitable for use in the vehicles disclosed in the ""944 and ""134 applications and the above-mentioned co-pending application.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a fuel tank for a recreational vehicle, a snowmobile in particular, that has a low center of gravity which improves the stability and maneuverability of the vehicle.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a fuel tank comprises a wall structure configured and positioned to define an outer surface having an inner liquid containing volume therein. The wall structure includes an inlet for liquid to enter the inner liquid containing volume. An outlet for liquid is provided as an exit for the liquid contained inside of the wall structure. The fuel tank further comprises an elongated main body portion above which a driver of the vehicle may be seated and an oblong neck portion. The oblong neck portion extends diagonally upward away from the main body portion. The main body portion extends along a substantially entire length of the tunnel on which the fuel tank is positioned. The main body portion of the fuel tank is positioned substantially under the seat of the snowmobile.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the fuel tank has a ridge protruding inside the fuel tank""s main body portion, which is defined by the wall structure. The ridge is positioned at a midportion of the longitudinal length of the fuel tank and is configured to provide interference to a liquid wave within the inner liquid. The ridge disrupts movement of the liquid from the front to the rear (or vice versa) inside the tank. This prevents the movement of fuel from exerting sudden forces on the vehicle. The ridge is also used to create a fuel pick-up area when the vehicle is climbing a hill.
Other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.